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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. march — music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. swing — music
  5. key — in music
  6. march — the month
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. key — for a lock
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rock — music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. press — to push
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rock — a stone
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. key — the most important part
  23. march — the month
  24. trunk — of a car

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com